So I have been using 2 AAA batts in a holder I bought at radio shack to power my lasers I have been building before I put them in flashlights ect. Well one day I put in some new batts and was running a DVD burner diode which I had run many times before.. A few seconds latter one of the batteries just exploded, I got sprayed with acid but quickly ran to the sink and got it cleaned off then I heard a second pop and it was the other battery exploding.. Could it of been the cheap batteries? Normally I only use energizer or duracell, but these were generic brand form wallgreens. I am just puzzled normally if your shorting a battery it just gets hot and you see smoke from the wires burning.. but no smoke the the laser diode was going strong and BAM. (when I say explode the end cap blew off)